The Old Forms
by counterglockwise
Summary: The Justice League faces a problem as their youngest member starts transforming into an anger driven powerhouse and they don't know how to approach it. ONESHOT


A/N: Heyo it me. this story is based off a headcanon that goes a little something like this - when ghosts where actually scary during Pariah's early years of rule. But revolution happened and their forms became less hostile as they didn't need so much power anymore. They come out when they need a power boost and a way to scare their opponents. Ghosts who served in wars or where particularly violent have some of the scariest while Paraiah's was know to show you your greatest fear. Every ghost has one, adorable other not. It's why Cujo turns into a big scary dog from his adorable version. He can just control it at will, which takes practice. i hope you enjoy my one shot

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The first time it happened was during a mission with Superman. The mission wasn't easy, but it wasn't super hard. Stop the giant alien thing from destroying Metropolis and get as much information as possible. The only reason Danny was put on the mission was that he could go completely unnoticed and get the information while Superman fought outside.

When he first got the mission he was excited, but the Observers had a way of ruining his life with a simple blink. Clockwork knows they are a pain in the ass but Danny continued with the mission seeing as the plan had been made around his capabilities and they'd have to fend off the alien for another day before a new plan could be made.

So here Danny was, walking through the 'guts' of an alien, searching for the motherboard. So far there weren't any other being inside so it probably wasn't a ship, but there are no organic parts as far as he could tell. Originally everyone wanted one of the Green Lanterns on the mission but they all got pulled away before and/or are still away on off-planet missions.

The scanners he'd been hooked up with were starting to hurt his arm, luckily they had multiple scanners and he had made clones of himself to scan the layout of the alien-ship-thing and he was walking around randomly, doing his best to focus all the clone images and his own and keeping them from mixing up. Before he knew it Batman had connected his com and told him he got it all.

"Really? I thought it would take longer." He muttered.

"We can get rid of this thing now." Superman said.

"Wait." Danny said. He turned the corner and found what looked like some kind of brain. "I don't think this thing is hostile. Why don't you try just pushing it away?" He asked, not in the mood for huge battle sounds. Over the years he's gotten better and sensing hostility and tries to avoid conflict as much as possible.

He heard Superman hum in thought.

"If we attack it might hit back and we don't have anything that can deflect it as far as well know. We don't know what it is capable of." Danny continued.

"I guess." Superman said, probably tired of staring at the things less than appealing front side. Danny was on his way out, making sure he got all his clones back and easily fazed out. He landed and watched while Superman man pushed the thing out and back into space. Danny waited with every intention of getting a ride back to the watchtower on the man of steel's back.

As Superman was landing Danny felt cold air escape his lips. His tightly crossed arms loosened as he looked around for the threat he was sensing.

"Danny lookout!" He heard Superman call. Just as he was about to turn he was pushed down by something. Danny managed to roll them so he was on his back and kicked whatever was on top of him away with both his legs. Danny jumped up and stared at his new foe. It was a half pig half man thing, probably looking for an easy bite.

Danny lurched forward, in the instant his entire body changing into an almost indescribable mess of bones and nightmares. He began tall and lanky, bones and bones alone. His hands were too big for his body and his arms long enough to wrap around his fat opponent twice. His eyes grew into dark circles of nothingness, small, neon green orbs in the middle, his mouth began long and wide, opening and exposing sharp fangs and letting out what could only be described as a demonic screech.

He jumped over his opponent and grabbed its shoulders, landing and it's boney body seemed boneless with the huge bend. The pig-headed ghost looked to be at least ten feet tall.

Danny landed with a loud thump that made dirt fly up from the road. He brought his arms forward and launched the ghost into the sky. A portal appearing and the pig head squealing as it flew through and the portal closed.

When Superman looked back down at Danny from the portal, he saw a normal Danny, breathing heavy, his back tensed.

"I am so done with this." He muttered to himself but Superman heard. As Danny breathed Superman took this chance to compose himself to confront the teen of this new discovery. Had he always had it, was it new? If it could take down a ten foot tall, 600-pound pig-headed man in less than three seconds flat then a lot of their battles would have ended better.

Superman closed his agape mouth and straightened his shoulders.

"Phantom." He called. Danny's head snapped back and he looked like he could tear the man of steel apart at that very moment.

"What." He said harshly. Turning around all the way and dropping some of the intensity in his facial expression. Superman rethought his approach to this. The kid was tired, obviously, angry and probably ready to lash out at any moment.

"We will talk about it later. Go home and get some rest." He said walking forward and placing a hesitant hand on the boy's shoulder. He put a finger to his ear and asked Batman to beam them up.

Superman watched closely as Danny said his goodbyes, had short conversations with the other league members as he left. He wondered if Batman already knew about this, he knew everything about Danny after all.

"Bruce, before you go. I wanted to ask you something," He said, floating his way to the Dark Knight who was on his way out as well. Batman stayed silent and waited for the other to continue. "About Danny." Superman added.

"What about him?" Batman asked not looking up from typing coordinates.

"Well, it's hard to explain. He kinda went, well crazy I guess. He wasn't himself when a ghost appeared and tackled him." Batman looked up at the vague explanation, his eyes narrowing as he stopped typing.

"What do you mean 'went crazy'?" He asked.

"He, transformed into this well, monster. He got rid of the ghost in less than three seconds and opened a portal at least 40 feet in the air and threw the ghost into it!" He exclaimed, having no other way to really put it the simplest way he could think of.

"Tell me exactly what you saw, Clark," Batman said, his voice serious and putting emphasis on every word.

They were in the Batcave, talking over a cup of fresh tea. Superman did his best to try and explain what he saw while Batman went through every camera from the area that might have gotten a glimpse of Danny and what happened.

They got one, blurry frame that Batman was able to advance and get a clearer image of what Superman had seen. It was just as he described, Danny was lurching forward to attack the pig-headed ghost-freak stalking Metropolis.

"There. That's exactly what I saw but why isn't it in any other frame?" Superman asked, staring at the monstrous form of Danny on the screen.

"It's his ghost," Batman answered.

Batman didn't bring it up for a while, and Danny seemed to have absolutely no knowledge of what actually happened. When asked, he just explained that he used the move Wonder Woman had taught him and opened a portal a couple feet away and then went on about how that's the farthest he's gotten so far.

It was the next time Danny was in the Batcave he brought it up.

"Danny, what really happened on that mission with Superman a few weeks ago?" Batman asked, turning around in his chair to look at the boy. Danny looked up from petting ace, confused.

"I already told you, didn't I?" Danny asked. He never liked repeating himself, it got tiring, quickly.

"Yes, but either you aren't telling me the whole truth or you have no knowledge of what actually happened," Batman said.

"What do you mean Bruce?"

Batman turned around in his chair and pressed a key. The refined imagine showing up on the screen. Danny stared at it, in silence, his eyes going over it slowly.

"Is that….me?" He asked, stepping away from the hound and staring at the image of his monstrous self.

"Apparently. Superman described it and we were able to find one frame of it and refine it for a better image." Batman said. Replaying the video footage where there was nothing more than an apparition on the screen that moved fast enough that it was only in the one frame.

"Do you have any idea what it is Danny. Superman said you created a portal large enough to fit a 10-foot ghost, at least 40 feet in the air and threw the ghost into it." Batman explained.

"I…. I have no idea, but I have to go." He said, disappearing right then and there.

Over the course of the next six months, almost every Justice Leaguer had a running with what they were calling "Danny's ghost." Nothing prepared them for it, each experience was different from the last.

Flash was cleaning up a volcanic eruption when Danny transformed and started building up huge walls of ice around highly populated areas while Flash attempted to stop the lava. It was a severely close call, but Flash couldn't get the sped by glimpses of Danny out of his head for a week. Making eye contact with the small green orbs in the darkness was something surreal.

Wonder Woman was in the underworld, fighting a threat before it arose. Whatever was in Danny, was pulled out by the power of the underworld and didn't go back in till they left. So Diana was stuck trying not to make eye contact with the clueless Danny, keeping normal conversation with him as he responded in ghost speak, heavy in Greek dialect.

Danny had been tagging along with Batman during a battle with Scarecrow, after accidentally being hit with fear-gas, Danny had transformed and after raging against those he thought were enemies, he went running through Gotham in fear of everything he saw. Batman spent that night trying calm down the cowering ghost till he reverted back to Danny. After that, Batman took action and went to the ghost zone using the Wayne improved Specter Speeder. He confronted Clockwork about it. Someone he had frequent conversations with when it came to Danny and his well being.

"What is happening to him. He is going on rampages and has no memory of it afterward. If things process like this I'm going to have to take action." Batman said as the ghost listed solemnly.

"Daniel is growing into his old form. It's something every ghost has, from back when Pariah was still king. Now, it's used to scare opponents or unwanted company, but Daniel seems to be transforming through bouts of emotion."

"How can we stop it?"

"You can't. But he can learn to control it." The ghost echoed.

Green Arrow ran into him while he was eating. Eyes shining a bright green while he feasted on a squirming ghost. He didn't do anything, just walked out of the alley and tried to forget about it.

This was the worst and last time it happened before they told Danny what was happening.

No one saw Danny for at least 12 days till he walked into the tower after being called in for a top priority mission. He was late but no one harshed him for it, the kid looked miserable. Wonder Woman debated letting him even help. He had large dark circles under his eyes, his hair wasn't it's normal silky and fluffy self. He looked terrible.

Collectively everyone looked at each other When Danny sat down and yawned, putting his cheek in his hand asked what the problem was. Already dozing off before he was given an answer. No one bothered to wake him up. Someone could fill him in on the fly there.

A set of androids had been invented by an unknown scientist with the biggest god complex in all of history. He went by 'The Creator' but Batman figured out his real name through facial recognition, and when he announced it, 'The Creator' went on a long rant about how he would be the best to do that he had to beat the best. His real name was Jim Mandgrove.

There were three androids in total. Earth, fire, and water.

"Wait. Aren't these Ivo's droids?" Danny asked as his punch was caught by one of the androids. Danny dodged the next few attacks before finding an opening and going for it with his ectoblasts.

"No! They are not! They are completely by my own design! I'll show you!" He shouted. There was a click and Danny floated back as the android's eyes flash a little brighter.

It lifted up its arm and began firing at Danny through its palm. Danny easily went intangible expecting the bullets to go right through him but they didn't. They stuck to him like glue. He felt a surge of energy go through him. He let out a scream.

In these moments he realized what the robots where. Each was made to take down a specific leaguer, plans similar to Batman's but not exact. These ones where lethal. He looked back to when the battle began. The robots flew away, past the Leaguers they were currently fighting.

Danny gritted his teeth and pushed himself up, slowly. The electricity was killing him….again.

"Guys!" Danny called through the coms. "Switch robots!" He said before he blacked out from the electricity, hoping they heard him.

\- The Old Forms -

Danny blinked in and out of consciousness as he became aware of the heavy ringing in his ears. He pushed his body up and felt small pebbles of debris scrape and dig themselves into his arms and fall out of his hair. He looked around as dust forward everywhere. Leaguers all around were down for the count.

He pulled himself onto his feet and did his best to stay up. He did a headcount off all those he could see.

He continued to count them off as the ringing subsided and his ears started functioning properly. He could hear faint battle in the background, Either a Green Lantern was back on Earth or Batman was still standing somehow.

Danny pulled his body into the air, flying to where he heard battle. He looked out for more Leaguers, still in a daze. He couldn't find himself to be worried for his superhuman friends, instead, he was beginning to bubble with rage as the clashes got louder.

He arrived just in time to see one of the androids choking Batman. The hero's feet unable to reach the ground.

Danny felt his body move on its own, nothing was stopping him or holding him back from realizing Pariah's rage on the man that destroyed half the city and took down all his friends just to prove he could.

Batman dropped to the ground hard as the android was shoved through the next three buildings. His vision danced as black dots appeared. He forced himself to stay awake for the sake of making sure Danny didn't kill Mandgrove if he found him.

He caught his breath, coughing as he held his throat. He moved to get a view of the aerial fight between the three androids and Danny. He watched as the beast slammed the earth elemental into the next three buildings, one of its arms in his hand.

Batman couldn't do anything but hold his side and get out of the splash zone. He made it to the other leaguers, doing his best to not imagine what Danny was doing to the robots but focused the last bit of his energy on his friends. All scattered across the boulevard. He froze when a leg flew above him and rolled to a stop by a somehow unscathed car.

"Diana! Wake up!" He said, slightly shaking the Amazonian with his foot, not in the best conditioned to get thrashed by a started greek warrior. She mumbled but woke up. Realizing where she was and remembering what she was doing she looked around, her hair a mess and tiara crooked.

Batman groaned as he slouched more, leaning against a chunk of building as he tried to compose himself.

"Bruce, what happened?" Diana said, grabbed Bruce and letting him lean on her for support.

"Get the others, I'm not sure we will be able to calm Danny down after this." He said, adjusting.

They heard a groan as Green Arrow, Billy and Flash began to wake up again.

"What happened?" Flash asked, standing up and rubbing his head.

"The androids kicked our butts it what happened." Green Arrow answered, walking over, his arm bent in a weird way. Flash moved to find Superman, within seconds, dragging the green looking Kryptonian out of the rubble.

"Kryptonite. Get him to the watchtower." Batman ordered. Flash followed and was gone in seconds with the Man of Steel in his arms. Which was not an easy feat.

"Hey, where's Danny?" Billy asked.

"Fighting the androids," Batman answered as another body piece came flying towards them, this time, the head of the water robot. Everyone stared for a moment before another boom and a scratchy scream and the monstrous Danny was flung over and skidding before it caught itself and flipped onto his legs before using his oversized hands to bring him to a stop, grinding concrete in the process.

Billy got a good look at what Superman and other Leaguers had described. Unable to move while the other stepped back from the fight if there was more collateral damage.

A robot came through the air. Trained on bringing a heavy fist onto Danny but it as caught with a large hand and separated from the body and the free hand punched the fire element robot into fallen debris across the battlegrounds.

"Danny?" Bill asked, being the only one who hadn't seen the teen in his nightmarish form. Big, dark eyes looked over at the voice with recognition. Bill could see Danny was in there. But it was only for a split second before the fire element charged at him and brought him down.

They could only watch, helplessly as Danny wailed and screamed under the robot as the robot's body caught fire against his and he couldn't worm his way out, either he didn't think of it or he was running to low on power.

Billy couldn't watch as was the first to react. It was like watching a dying animal in pain. Billy ran as fast as his tired legs could carry him. Jumping above the burning robot and shouting.

"SHAZAM!"

A huge lightning bolt roared down with its complementary thunder and was brought down on the android. Shazam threw the robot into the air as fast as he could while it short-circuited. Shazam looked down and was shocked to see a sleeping Danny with smoke emitting from him and every possible injury on his body.

Shazam picked up the knocked out teen and carried him over to the team. Slightly amazed at how fast a small cut on his face was healing.

"What now?" Green Arrow asked. Cradling his for sure broke arm.

"We find the others and Mandgrove before he decides to recreate those androids," Batman said.

"Where is Martian ManHunter?" wonder Woman asked. Looking around as much as she could without moving from her spot.

"Right here." A voice said before appearing out of nowhere

"And where were you this whole fight?" Green Arrow asked, kinda man the Martian didn't have a scratch on him.

"Getting Mandgrove. He tried to escape." He answered. Grabbing a tied up scientist and holding him up by his lab coat collar.

"Oh."

Two days later everyone was healed, save Batman and Green Arrow. Superman was still recovering from the long exposure to Kryptonite and everyone was helping out in Metropolis while he was out of commission.

They called Danny to the watchtower, making sure to tell him it was just a meeting and nothing bad was happening.

"So what's this about?" Danny asked, nervously running his hands on his legs.

Batman pulled up the images from a few months ago.

"There is something we haven't been telling you Danny." Wonder Woman said, guilt in her voice for keeping such a thing hidden away.

Danny looked between each leaguer, waiting for an answer. Some of them were scared he would blow up and turn into it again, others just felt guilty.

The Green Lantern just listened quietly, just getting back from their deep undercover operations a few light-years away.

"Why don't you just spit it out already." John spoke from his spot about ready to leave and go back to bed.

"Over the last six months, you've been transforming into this and waking up with no memory of it. You've rampaged through Gotham, the Underworld, using an excessive amount of power that has caused some problems, and destroyed immense amounts of property." Batman said bluntly.

The look on Danny's face was indescribable. Half thought he was going to shift right there, but what actually happened broke their hearts.

"Why didn't you tell me when it first happened?" He asked, now sitting on his hands and looking down.

"We didn't know how to, Danny. We didn't even know what was happening." Diana tried to console.

In the quietest, most broke sounding voice they ever heard come from the child.

"Did I kill anyone?" He asked some kind of fear in his voice, not even the telepathic Martian could decipher it.

"No, no one but your enemies where hurt Danny, but you need to understand. The kind of power you have cannot go unchecked when you can't control it." Wonder Woman said. Her tone motherly and gentle.

"I know this is an immense burden to bare Daniel, being king and protector of an entire realm along with its branches, picking up the pieces of a tyrant, plus protecting the earth. Even I could not handle all of it., but you were chosen for it." Aquaman said unable to look at the ghost boy without feeling guilty.

"Am I getting kicked out?" Danny asked, still not looking up at any hero.

"No, you are still and always will be a member of the Justice League. We want to help you Danny." Superman said. He felt as bad as anyone else, probably worse. He could have confronted Danny about it when it first happened and they wouldn't be having this conversation like this.

"Can I go now?" Danny asked, his gaze going to the left. Everyone was silent for a moment. Wondering what the young hero was thinking.

"Yes." Batman said. he disappeared like he always does. Everyone wondering if he had decided to stay but keep his invisibility or if he really left, no one bothered to find out. They left the meeting room with a lot to think about.

-The Old Forms-

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AAAAND there you have my friends. A 3k word story based off a headcanon. I am also working on n these while I attempt to work on FS, but with school things are just getting harder and harder so please, be patient. Ill try to post more oneshots till i finsihed then next chapter.

Thank you to my beta readers who put the cherry on top with their amazing skills and faces. Please leave a review. i live off them and they make me want to write more so if you want an update to Fallen Spirit, I'm not saying you have to but it would be very much appriciated my dudes.

bye


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